|
Internet Explorer posted:I finally, finally got the Char-Griller 980 I ordered from Lowes a month ago. Got it assembled. The build quality seems quite good. Excited to do a seasoning and burn in. Not quite sure what the first smoke will be! a gravity-fed automatic temp control charcoal grill/smoker occupies an interesting niche- most with that type of functionality appear to be wood pellet grills
|
#
?
Apr 25, 2022 16:52
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 13, 2024 23:29 |
|
|
 It begins. I learned from last time that my usual drip pan isn't sufficient so I lined that side with foil so maybe I don't have to take this apart and blast it out like last time; for all my other smokes things are contained so I just pop out the grates to scrub and can just sweep the ash out the ash hole at the back into a bucket for our composter. Same heat shield to keep the end from burning as last time, same rub, apple wood again. I'll baste it with butter every hour or so to get that nice crispy skin. Getting that big shaker for my rub was so worth it, I get such a nice even coating on everything now (well, until I had to handle it to plop it on there).
|
|
#
?
Apr 26, 2022 18:26
|
|
|
That's actually a pretty smart looking set up you have. I had something similar for my kettle before the Slow n Sear existed. I used bricks instead of foil for dividers.
|
|
#
?
Apr 26, 2022 19:03
|
|
|
The finished bird was darker than last time and the skin shrank down and tore, but none of this is actually burnt at all.    So incredibly juicy and smoky. I used more than twice as much wood as last time and that was the right call. Only thing I'd do differently is cover the rest in foil sooner and not let the temp go over 275 but coals are tricky (though that's why I prefer this over just punching in a number on an automated hopper with a thermostat).
|
|
#
?
Apr 27, 2022 05:14
|
|
|
How do y'all like to smoke sausages? For accessibility's sake, let's say I have a pack of raw Johnsonville brats. Is there a good way to get decent results by cooking them at 225-275? In most cases, I'd be throwing them on as add-ons while I'm cooking the usual ribs/butts/briskets in my WSM. I've tried this in the past. No pre-boil, post-sear, or piercing during prep other than sticking a temp probe in one. I pulled them when the one reached 160F, which happened quicker than expected. The skin was a bit tough and the color was more gray than red. Not a gross gray, just closer to the uncooked color vs the usual redness I see from pics of smoke brats. Maybe I just need to cook them longer, but for some reason, going over 160F seemed wrong at the time. Maybe that's my issue. And if I weren't treating them as add-ons, is there an different, optimal temp/process I should go with? I'd be really happy if I can achieve some decent Texas style jalapeno sausage. For that, any particular beef/pork/fat content I should be looking for when shopping?
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2022 03:09
|
|
|
E30User posted:How do y'all like to smoke sausages? Work the shaft but give the head and balls attention as well OP.
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2022 18:06
|
|
|
Warbird posted:Work the shaft but give the head and balls attention as well OP. Whenever I try that, the meat gets too tough and eventually leaks moisture. Should I be injecting something? Should I be adding rubs like I do for butts?
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2022 18:47
|
|
|
and we're back to porn shoulder chat.
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2022 18:57
|
|
|
E30User posted:Whenever I try that, the meat gets too tough and eventually leaks moisture. Should I be injecting something? Should I be adding rubs like I do for butts? Only with proper consent, but if so go right to town.
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2022 19:03
|
|
|
The main thing to consider for smoked sausage is the casing. Natural casing will allow more smoke to penetrate the meat. If the smoke doesn't penetrate, you'll get a weird smoke layer sitting on the outside of the sausage. Either go to Whole Foods or even better hit up your local Italian or Polish place. (Or make your own) Kaddish fucked around with this message at 20:00 on Apr 29, 2022 |
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2022 19:56
|
|
|
um excuse me posted:and we're back to porn shoulder chat. 
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2022 20:40
|
|
|
Fwiw I’ve done sausages as an add on on the smoker a bunch of times, I just leave them on there til they look right. No idea what temp that is, but basically just leave them there til they look good and are juuuuust starting to lose a tiny bit of juices.
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2022 21:15
|
|
|
You'll get that great mahogany color by dunking them straight off the smoker into an ice bath.
|
|
#
?
Apr 29, 2022 21:23
|
|
|
First smoke of the year! St. Louis ribs weren’t looking too hot at the market, so I went with a couple of slabs of baby backs. Got them on the kettle smoker over Cowboy lump charcoal, with two pieces of hickory and one piece of pecan. Temp has been bouncing from 235-245 the last couple of hours. No wrapping here. I’ve had better luck without. The last time I wrapped ribs and tried 3-2-1 they came out mushy. I like a little bit of mouth-feel on my ribs, and for the bones to hold onto the meat just a tiny bit. Will see how this smoke goes. I owe my neighbor a slab because he hooked me up and plowed my driveway a few times this winter. So he earned some ribs.
|
|
#
?
May 1, 2022 20:17
|
|
|
There are people here, myself included, who believe that 3-2-1 is just about the worst popularized cook method, maybe just below beer can chicken. There is not enough moisture content or mass for ribs to benefit from a wrap, it's a lot of extra work for literally worse results. I am a man of simplicity, the easier the method the easier it is to repeat and therefore perfect, even if it ends up being just as complicated after you tweak it to perfection.
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2022 00:27
|
|
|
Unwrapped works best for me. I think I glazed my ribs a little too early because the sauce started to brown a bit much. They were still excellent, but next time I’ll mop them with ten or fifteen minutes to go instead of 45.   
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2022 01:13
|
|
|
um excuse me posted:There are people here, myself included, who believe that 3-2-1 is just about the worst popularized cook method, maybe just below beer can chicken. I don't do the 3-2-1, but in my limited experience I get some dry rear end ribs if I don't wrap. I've had good success with 2ish hours on smoke, then wrap with some sauce and cook on high heat for 45 minutes or so (basically braising). So far they have always been firm enough to wave a bone around while you talk, but tender enough to pull away when you take a bite. Having said that I could definitely stand to raw dog a couple racks of ribs and experiment with not wrapping.
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2022 08:03
|
|
|
Not making assumptions, if your ribs are dry make sure you are doing the following things: Brining your pork will help immensely. Also cheaper cuts will tend to dry out. Don't buy previously frozen ribs. Don't forget to trim ribs so they're all roughly the same size to ensure they cook at the same pace so that smaller ones don't overcook. Lastly make sure your temp is high enough. Ribs smoke around 275 the best, or at least that's the temp I see all the competition recipes at. Fall off the bone ribs are overcooked. Gage readiness by the bend test instead.
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2022 10:41
|
|
|
um excuse me posted:Lastly make sure your temp is high enough. Ribs smoke around 275 the best, or at least that's the temp I see all the competition recipes at. Fall off the bone ribs are overcooked. Gage readiness by the bend test instead. This is what I was loving up. I was cooking around 225 last time I tried no wrap.
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2022 14:25
|
|
|
Maybe I should try doing them ribs a bit hotter next time. Will see how 275 works out.
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2022 14:40
|
|
|
I do something more like 5, 1, 1/10th. 5 hours of 275, wrap in foil with some sauce and vinegar until bendy, crank up the heat and unwrap, sauce heavily at high heat to put some color on and finish. I also throw a couple of squares of chocolate into whatever store bought sauce I'm using.
|
|
#
?
May 2, 2022 15:47
|
|
|
Having finally moved to a house with a private garden I'm on the market for a barbecue/smoker. Never had one before so I don't know if these are the same thing. What I want to do:
Is this realistic for the price? And are there any UK-sourceable examples you'd recommend please?
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 12:10
|
|
|
Sounds like a Weber Kettle fits your needs, though I am unsure if they are available in the UK. Smoking a pork shoulder requires roughly an entire 30 pound bag of charcoal. Its possible to do on a kettle, but you'll be adding charcoal every 2-4 hours or so for the 12-20 hours pulled pork takes. Kettle are flexible, but being flexible implies some strain. V I specifically didnt recommend that because its not portable and outside of OP's budget. I have a WSM and it wont be suitable for grilling um excuse me fucked around with this message at 13:51 on May 3, 2022 |
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 12:18
|
|
|
Sir Sidney Poitier posted:Having finally moved to a house with a private garden I'm on the market for a barbecue/smoker. Never had one before so I don't know if these are the same thing. weber smokey mountain is what you're looking for: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Weber-Smokey-Mountain-Cooker-Grill/dp/B0052EG0BM *edit* can't wheel, but it's not heavy to carry *edit again* lol just noticed the price on that, but if you can get a better price that's what you want. Stringent fucked around with this message at 13:49 on May 3, 2022 |
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 13:46
|
|
|
Stringent posted:weber smokey mountain is what you're looking for: That looks interesting, thanks. £200 isn't a hard limit, so I'll look at some videos of this thing and if it's the right one for me then I'll stretch.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 13:59
|
|
|
Sir Sidney Poitier posted:That looks interesting, thanks. £200 isn't a hard limit, so I'll look at some videos of this thing and if it's the right one for me then I'll stretch. fwiw i paid to have one shipped to japan
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 14:00
|
|
|
um excuse me posted:Sounds like a Weber Kettle fits your needs, though I am unsure if they are available in the UK. Smoking a pork shoulder requires roughly an entire 30 pound bag of charcoal. Its possible to do on a kettle, but you'll be adding charcoal every 2-4 hours or so for the 12-20 hours pulled pork takes. Kettle are flexible, but being flexible implies some strain. Are you really going through 30 pounds of charcoal for a porn shoulder? I don't dig on swine, but I'd imagine a brisket takes roughly the same amount of fuel. I probably use half a 15 pound bag or so of lump for a brisket. Could be more like 10 pounds rather than 7.5, but I know for sure I don't use 30 as that would take 2 bags.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 14:58
|
|
|
JoshGuitar posted:Are you really going through 30 pounds of charcoal for a porn shoulder? I don't dig on swine, but I'd imagine a brisket takes roughly the same amount of fuel. I probably use half a 15 pound bag or so of lump for a brisket. Could be more like 10 pounds rather than 7.5, but I know for sure I don't use 30 as that would take 2 bags. I do end up making 3-4 at a time to be more fuel efficient. But yea, I get the two pack at Costco the last two times I ran it. To be fair usage drops off pretty good after it gets warmer outside.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 15:01
|
|
|
I put half a 15 pound bag in akorn for a pork shoulder and still have some left when it’s all done. But I would imagine it’s a lot more fuel efficient than trying to use a kettle for smoking.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 15:05
|
|
|
um excuse me posted:Not making assumptions, if your ribs are dry make sure you are doing the following things: Brining your pork will help immensely. Also cheaper cuts will tend to dry out. Don't buy previously frozen ribs. Don't forget to trim ribs so they're all roughly the same size to ensure they cook at the same pace so that smaller ones don't overcook. Lastly make sure your temp is high enough. Ribs smoke around 275 the best, or at least that's the temp I see all the competition recipes at. Fall off the bone ribs are overcooked. Gage readiness by the bend test instead. Ribs are already pretty expensive these days, I don't think it's realistic for most backyard cooks to avoid previously frozen ribs. They're already $20 as-is. I also disagree with that pet wisdom that braising is unnecessary and that fall off the bone ribs are inherently bad. Competition ribs might be done a certain way, but in my experience non-smoker-obsessed diners prefer a moister, looser rib to one with dryer, smokier bark. Not saying the bone should just be falling out readily, but bones should separate on a normal bite. Murgos posted:I do something more like 5, 1, 1/10th. 5 hours of 275, wrap in foil with some sauce and vinegar until bendy, crank up the heat and unwrap, sauce heavily at high heat to put some color on and finish. I'm usually at 250 on my WSM, but this is more or less what I do. Have to try that chocolate tip though!
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 15:25
|
|
|
Chad Sexington posted:Ribs are already pretty expensive these days, I don't think it's realistic for most backyard cooks to avoid previously frozen ribs. They're already $20 as-is. I dont disagree with what you said, just adding more info. Previously frozen meat should be avoided in that the ice crystals that form from freezing are sharp and pierce the cell walls of the tissue so that when you cook them, moisture has an easier time escaping. This is why you should avoid them as if they're a lower quality and why frozen meat dries out more. Obviously you can only afford what you can afford. You can make some pretty ridiculous ribs with a $20 slow cooker if we want to follow that logic to its conclusion though. Competition rib recipes are just that, meant for competition. As such they're meant to impress judges. A lot of the essence of cooking is subjective, so naturally some judges' tendencies aren't going to be based on anything other than preference. HOWEVER, fall off the bone is something that occurs when you steam meat. Steaming meat reduces flavor or, more technically, wastes an opportunity to impart more flavor. Judges aren't looking for a bbq sauce shovel when tasting ribs, so meat flavor is extremely important. Also the same reason why you can find places that will look down on you if you ask for BBQ sauce in Texas. For competition judges, smoking is about the meat and will always be the main priority. That said, rib meat should not stick to the bone, either. It should come off clean when you bite it. Otherwise it is undercooked. um excuse me fucked around with this message at 15:43 on May 3, 2022 |
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 15:41
|
|
|
In other words, it's like al dente pasta in that it straddles a fine line between two undesirables; in the case of pasta, it's firm versus mushy. In the case of ribs, it's pulling the ribs out of a rack with zero resistance versus having to tear the poo poo off with your teeth. My stepmother-in-law posted a picture on Facebook of the smoked pork tenderloin my father-in-law made on Sunday. I have never seen such a perfect dark pink smoke ring around a pale beige center.  Considering he was the one that got me into smoking and grilling in the first place, poo poo makes sense.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 16:31
|
|
|
D34THROW posted:In other words, it's like al dente pasta in that it straddles a fine line between two undesirables; in the case of pasta, it's firm versus mushy. In the case of ribs, it's pulling the ribs out of a rack with zero resistance versus having to tear the poo poo off with your teeth. Did he use a pellet smoker? I get great rings with mine.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 17:10
|
|
|
Yeah, he has a Pit Boss like mine, 'cept I think he's a size or two up from my Lexington.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 17:14
|
|
|
Sir Sidney Poitier posted:Having finally moved to a house with a private garden I'm on the market for a barbecue/smoker. Never had one before so I don't know if these are the same thing. Feel like you're always going to be making some sort of a compromise if you want to smoke and grill with the same device but what you're looking for is probably either a Weber kettle or some manner of kamado-style cooker- both can turn out great results grilling and smoking. As people have said it's pretty hard to beat the Weber kettle- relatively cheap compared to everything else, it's really light and easy to move around (forget rolling, you can casually pick the drat thing up and move it wherever you want if it's not full of hot coals), and it'll smoke and grill whatever you can fit under the lid. Caveats: It's definitely more of a grill than a smoker- smoking will require a little setup depending on what you're doing and if you're smoking something that takes more than a few hours (like a pork shoulder) you will be tending/adding fuel throughout the cook a few times. But nothing really wrong with it in terms of end results and hey smoking is definitely getting into 'hobby' levels of effort anyway. If you want later on you could get the thing all gasket-ed up and even add a temperature controller and fan through retrofit kits to improve efficiency and make tending a little more straightforward. Lot of aftermarket stuff you can do with Weber kettles. Spending some more money and sacrificing some portability to go to a heavily-insulated kamado-style cooker like the Akorn or spending a lot more money and consigning yourself to moving a boulder on a cart for the privilege of having an actual ceramic kamado grill would vastly improve your fuel efficiency while smoking while retaining grill capabilities but the cheapest ones in the UK appear to be around triple your price range unless I'm missing something. I would question getting one of these even if they weren't because of the portability issues. AND if you're willing to spend that level of money anyway then you have to start considering wood pellet grills and whether you would like one of those- about as "set it and forget it" as smoking gets while still being able to grill stuff. https://www.bbq-barn.co.uk/Weber%20Charcoal%20BBQs/1341504__-Weber-Classic-Kettle-57cm,-Black This is right at your price limit but you'll definitely want the 57cm size instead of the smaller variant so you have space for smoking setup in there- look around for deals. https://www.bbqworld.co.uk/weber-barbecues/charcoal/weber-mastertouch-e5750-black-charcoal-bbq.asp If you can find one of these on sale the little shielded ash dump bin and other little bits and bobs are nice but not necessary and can be added after the fact if you really want anyways.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 17:58
|
|
|
Yea the kettle is great out of the box for grilling, mediocre for smoking, but there is a huge aftermarket for them that can raise the latter stats into something pretty competent. Great for those that need a cheapish entry into BBQ and grilling, but can shoot the moon later with accessories and controllers.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 18:00
|
|
|
Just get a Weber Kettle. When you get tired of the snake method running out of fuel, buy a Slow N Sear. You now have a grill that can do everything competently for a very modest price. It will teach you how to do stuff so that you can spend a ton more money later on if you want.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 18:37
|
|
|
This is very helpful advice, thanks. If I'm going to compromise on something it'd be the smoking so the kettle may be more appropriate. It's not something I'd do that often so it's not a problem if there's more effort involved. The ability to add stuff later is very appealing. I wouldn't have a problem spending £600+ on something once I know I'm going to use it enough to justify it, but since this is my first I don't yet know if I'd get my money's worth.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 19:12
|
|
|
mega dy posted:Just get a Weber Kettle. When you get tired of the snake method running out of fuel, buy a Slow N Sear. You now have a grill that can do everything competently for a very modest price. It will teach you how to do stuff so that you can spend a ton more money later on if you want. This is the way. I don't how a poster above is going through so much charcoal on a kettle, is the lid on?? The slow n sear is a must-buy accessory for kettle users. Makes it into a drat good smoker and is great for two zone cooking.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 19:17
|
|
|
|
| # ? May 13, 2024 23:29 |
|
|
NomNomNom posted:This is the way. I don't how a poster above is going through so much charcoal on a kettle, is the lid on?? A 22 WSM is a hungry boi. Especially in freezing temps. I also never put on less than 30 pounds on. I added seals everywhere without much improvement. The R5 reflective foam insulation managed to raise my temps 15 degrees though which translates to less charcoal used.
|
|
#
?
May 3, 2022 19:19
|
|